Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,101 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,234 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Los Ángeles are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Los Ángeles 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.58 CLP 7,628

-31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.15 CLP 39.3K

-25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.01 CLP 7,120

-10.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.70 CLP 2,400

-37.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.32 CLP 1,173

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.07 CLP 950

-32.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.32 CLP 2,949

-49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.08 CLP 3,625

-24.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.22 CLP 1,089

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 CLP 1,390

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.86 CLP 1,653

-25.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.59 CLP 3,189

-37.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.53 CLP 9,364

-58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.75 CLP 5,999

-13.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.81 CLP 9,616

-18.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.84 CLP 1,635

21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 CLP 1,349

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.60 CLP 1,424

-4.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.46 CLP 1,299

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.24 CLP 1,100

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.40 CLP 1,246

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.23 CLP 1,093

-30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.17 CLP 1,042

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.28 CLP 4,698

-55.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.56 CLP 4,059

144.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.59 CLP 1,414

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.25 CLP 2,005

5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.59 CLP 521

33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.47 CLP 414

206.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.38 CLP 1,229

-31.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.9K CLP 17.7M

-10.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.8K CLP 19.4M

22.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$130 CLP 115.3K

-35.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.53 CLP 12.0K

-29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.63 CLP 19.2K

11.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.07 CLP 34.7K

-33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$20.99 CLP 18.7K

-9.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.77 CLP 5,133

-32.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$433 CLP 384.7K

-29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.79 CLP 44.3K

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.71 CLP 26.4K

7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

61.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$475 CLP 422.0K

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$375 CLP 333.2K

-1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$900 CLP 800.2K

-8.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$604 CLP 536.7K

18.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $475 in Los Ángeles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $227 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Ángeles costs about 7% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,652 in Los Ángeles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Los Ángeles, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Los Ángeles at $1,101. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Ángeles it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,101 in Los Ángeles. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Los Ángeles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.